World War Three
by Maxcs
Summary: REWRITE! AU!Quick. World War Three might be closer than we think and it could be the start of a beautiful relationship. This is war though, everything could change in the blink of an eye. One-shot


**So I've re-written this from it's original. Reading it back now, I hate the original and can see so many flaws. Being the perfectionist I try to be, I wanted to write it again.**

Quinn collapsed into the business class seat with a huff dumping her khaki green duffle at her feet. Ripping the zip open, she dug through army fatigues and countless khaki coloured items before finding a bright blue sequinned cosmetics bag. It was far from regulation but she far from cared. The twenty one year old was finally going home after spending the last twelve months in the Afghan desert and all she wanted to do peel away the layers until she was her normal, off duty self. Quinn pulled open the cosmetics bag and as she took the pins from her hair, she put them away. 15 or more hair pins later, Quinn let her short blonde curls fall down her back.

Puck peered across at the girl who didn't look much older than him if at all taking the pins from her hair. Intrigued by the army uniform and the non-regulation blue bag, he couldn't help but notice the bags under her sparkling hazel eyes and tough, worn out hands. What he didn't see was the painful memories the young girl held behind her calm exterior.

"Going home or going on duty?" Puck asked as he moved another seat closer to the girl. Curiosity got the better of him as the flight attendants bustled past them preparing for takeoff.

"Is running away an option?" she chuckled and started to rummage through her bag once again. Finally finding the strawberry scented hand cream she had been searching for, she sat back in her seat. If she could stay at home with her daughter for longer than the 6 weeks she was granted for leave then Quinn would. Army was in her blood with her father and grandfather representing their country fighting to keep it safe so it had been her destiny since birth. Quinn loved protecting her country and making sure her family would always be safe but there were things she saw over in Afghanistan that she would never forget. It was a tough career but she would face the horrors of the world so her five year old daughter never would.

"Isn't that deserting your post or something?"

"No, I just finished a twelve month tour in Afghanistan. I can't wait to just get home and escape army life for a little while. I miss my family"

"Don't families usually pick you guys up from some plane hangar? You see all the emotional reunions on the news of soldiers coming home to their families"

"That does happen but my five year old has had the flu for the last three days; I didn't want my Mom bringing her all the way. We'd be making this trip back to Ohio anyway"

"Fair enough..."

The flight attendant appeared by her side and asked her to store her duffle bag in the overhead compartment as the plane started to taxi out of the gate. Stowing it away, Quinn sat back down with her iPod in hand.

"I didn't mean to pry, I'm sorry"

"Don't worry, whenever anyone sees an army uniform they immediately asks questions. It's in their mentality" she chuckled and fastened her seat belt. Puck did the same thing and relaxed back in his seat. He'd been in Washington for a promo tour and was now on his way back to Ohio for some time off. Noah Puckerman was the front man for his band Aerial Collision with friends Sam Evans and Finn Hudson. They had all gone to high school together and their mutual music dream shot them to stardom. It'd had been nonstop interviews and photo shoots for the last couple of weeks and now that they were finished Sam went to LA to visit his girlfriend Mercedes while Finn flew to New York to be with his fiancé Rachel. All Puck wanted to do was go home and relax. Quinn on the other hand just wanted to get far away from Washington and anything Army related. She missed her parents, her friends and especially her daughter Beth. Quinn's mom sent photos and drawings done by the five year old every week keeping the young Lieutenant strong through the long and tiring tour.

"I'm Noah Puckerman by the way. Everyone calls me Puck though"

"Q. Actually Lieutenant Quinn Fabray as I'm more formally known" she smiled and extended her hand out to him "Nice to meet you"

"And you"

"Are you going home or going on duty?" she laughed softly

"Going home" Puck smiled "I've been doing promo tours and shows for the last couple of weeks on the east coast. I just want to go home"

"Sounds rough"

"Says army girl"

"You've got your battle grounds and I have mine. I wouldn't want to face thousands of screaming teenage girls every day" Quinn chuckled and looked over at Puck who had a confused look on his face as if to say 'you know what I go through?' Shaking her head with a laugh, Quinn pulled out her iPod and scrolled to an Aerial Collision playlist she had "I am in the Army; I don't live under a rock"

"Sorry"

"As much as my Captain hated it, I always had my iPod with me in the Black Hawk helicopters. I hate flying in those things, they freak me out. Music has a calming effect"

"I'm the same with just taking off in a normal plane. I can't imagine a Black Hawk"

"Deafening"

"Hence the music" he laughed and subtly gripped the arms of the chair as the plane started to take off. Quinn quickly slipped an earphone into Puck's ear and turned on her favourite song 'Walking on Sunshine' by Katrina and the Waves. After having so many bad days in combat, she loves blasting this song in her bunk just to make her feel a bit better. Puck started to bop along to the song as he forgot about the planes movements. By the time the song had ended they were at cruising altitude and he had no reason to be scared anymore. "Wow magic" he chuckled

"Works like a charm every time. My Mom uses the same trick to calm down my little girl when she's sad or fussy" Quinn smiled and changed the song to 'Sweet Caroline' sung by Noah Puckerman himself. It had always been one of her favourite songs even before he covered it.

"You listen to my music in the Army? Is that regulation?"

"I am allowed to listen to whatever I like. This is the 21st Century" she laughed. "I love this song though; it's good to play at night to drown out the sniper fire"

"War really is hell isn't it?" Puck sighed softly. He couldn't even begin to imagine some of the horror Quinn had seen over in Afghanistan. Seeing it all on the news was shocking enough but to see it firsthand must have given her nightmares. He respected her so much for what she did. Puck didn't know if he would have the courage to do that. Quinn laid her head back and closed her eyes as she slowly drifted off to sleep. Sometime later her head slipped onto Puck's shoulder but he wasn't complaining.

XXXXX

"Q, Q wake up" Puck gasped softly as he nudged Quinn gently. Stirring, she stretched her arms out in front of her as she let a loud yawn rip from her fragile body. She had been enjoying her first proper nap in two years and she was comfortable leaning against the rockstar "Quinn"

"What's up?" she groaned softly and sat back in her seat. She had been enjoying her first proper nap in two years and she was comfortable leaning against the rockstar

"Turn the news onto your TV"

Quinn turned the news onto her TV and her heart sank.

'OBAMA DECLARES WAR AS RUSSIA BOMBS WASHINGTON'

"Oh My God" Quinn gasped as she read the details wiped across the screen. She'd been in Washington only hours before and now it was rubble not to mention the thousands of people injured or dead. "I have to go back"

"You won't get to see your family..."

"All those people who are dead will never see their families again" she snapped before realising what she had said "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap"

"No it's ok" Puck nodded as he watched Quinn pull her bag back down from the overhead compartment and pull out her cosmetics bag. Pulling her hair back up into its regulation bun, she was ready to turn around and go right back to Washington. "You're really going back?"

"I have to" she shrugged and stuffed her cosmetics bag back into her bag along with her iPod. Resting her jacket on her lap, she took a deep breath before looking up at the young rockstar beside her. "I can guarantee that there will be an officer waiting for me when we land in Cincinnati"

"Do you think he'll take one more?" Puck asked. He never thought he would have the courage to fight for his country but after seeing the devastation in his own country, he needed to help. His country was under attack and he wanted to fight for those already lost.

"You want to come with me? You can't come with me"

"And why not?"

"Because you're Noah Puckerman, you're an international rockstar, you..."

"Want to fight for my country. We are at war Quinn"

"You really want to come with me?" she asked seriously. For someone who had an entire career in front of him, he wanted to fight in a war no-one knew was even gonna happen. There had been no indication that anything like this could happen but the capitol of their country was in ruins now. In Afghanistan Quinn was working to keep peace for more than just America but now this was personal. A lot of her friends from her unit wouldn't have gotten out of Washington before the bombs hit. She was going back for them.

"The Army is going to need recruits if this gets any worse"

"The Army is going to need recruits because this war will get worse. Washington is just the beginning"

"You don't think this could turn into another world war do you?" he asked anxiously. Images of World War I and II that he had learnt about at school ran through his mind as he considered how bad this situation could get. If Quinn thought Washington was only the beginning, Puck couldn't imagine what else this war would bring for them all.

"You're about to walk into World War III" she nodded as the flight attendants paced up and down the aisles trying to calm everyone down. People started to cry as the news rocked the planes passengers. Bad news travelled fast and all the televisions throughout the aircraft were now playing the devastating pictures of a now decimated Washington DC. It was only twenty minutes before they were scheduled to land in Cincinnati and everyone couldn't wait til those wheels hit the tarmac.

Puck and Quinn spent the next twenty minutes in silence as their plane circled the airport before finally landing. Puck had spent the last twenty minutes thinking the entire situation over. Nothing was going to stop him from doing this but he had to somehow tell his family of his decision. What was his mother going to think? Would she be proud? Would she tell him not to go? What would he tell Sam and Finn? Would they even think to go themselves?

People could not get off that plane faster and that included the two of them.

Quinn was right about army personnel waiting for her at the airport. Her Mom and daughter knew why the Sergeant was there and hoped to get one last goodbye in before Quinn left again. Pulling them both into a tearful hug, the blonde Lieutenant said her goodbyes before facing the Sergeant. The Sergeant saluted Quinn before she reciprocated. She was the ranking officer so it was only regulation for him to acknowledge her presence first.

"Major Lawson sent you?"

"Yes Ma'am. He's ordered everyone off leave, I'm sorry. I know you only just arrived home"

"No I understand" she sighed "Has he set up any recruitment stations yet?"

"Yes Ma'am he's ordered a set up on base" The Sergeant replied quickly. Quinn nodded and planned to take Puck there as they got to base. If he was serious about this then she would take him directly where he needed to go. "Major Lawson has ordered a meeting of all units but 12 hours leave may be granted depending on the deployment orders"

"That's the best maybe news I've heard in the past hour" she chuckled and turned to her Mom "Save me a seat at dinner I'll be there"

"You can sit next to me Mommy" little Beth giggled and gave her Mom one last hug before her Grandmother joined in the group hug. Regretting every second she was away from her little girl, Quinn explained to the five year old that she was protecting their freedom. Beth would understand as she grew up but for now Mommy just had to go away again for a little while.

Holding Beth tight to her chest, Quinn kissed her soft blonde curls as she tried hard to keep the tears from flowing. Quinn stepped away from her family and pulled her bag up onto her shoulder. As much as she wanted to be getting in the car with her Mom and Beth, the blonde 21 year knew she had to go back to her army life.

"Come back safely Quinnie"

Quinn's Mom and daughter waved her off before disappearing in the crowd. They were never ones for long goodbyes but her Mom always said 'Come back safely Quinnie' every time they said goodbye. Quinn turned to Puck who was fidgeting with the strap of his own bag.

"You ready for this Noah?"

"Once... Once I register, will I get to see my family before..."

"You will have a day before you're called up to intensive combat training. It's usually longer but... given the circumstances"

Puck nodded nervously "Ok. I just want to be able to say goodbye"

"Noah..." Quinn sighed and took his hands "You don't have to do this"

"I want to do this" he insisted even though his hands wouldn't stop shaking. Anxious, he didn't want to think of what he was getting himself into.

"Ok then make me one promise. We write every week til we're in the same place at the same time, just to check on each other" she smiled "I'll keep an eye on you"

"Thank you Quinn"

**One Year Later**

"Relax Corporal; there isn't any more wounded coming in for the moment. You can take a coffee break" Lt Colonel Truscott chuckled as Puck organised the desk in the post operative ward for the second time in five minutes. It was keeping him warm while heavy snow fell outside their small hospital but it was also distracting him from his worries "Don't you have a letter from some girl to read?"

Noah Puckerman had been deployed to Russia on the front line at a Medical Aid Hospital. He was more than happy to take on duties as a Corpsman and Wards man transporting patient between theatre, the ambulances and the black hawk pad. Puck was trained as a soldier but thankfully he had only ever had to discharge a weapon twice in combat. Twice too many in his opinion but he was happier helping those who'd been injured on the front line.

"She hasn't written this week. I'm worried" he sighed softly and sat down at the desk. Fidgeting with papers on the desk, he quickly set them straight again and settled his hands on his knees. He couldn't help but think something had happened to Quinn.

They had been very prompt and consistent with their letters because both Quinn and Puck needed to know the other person was ok. In a way, knowing Quinn who was in a combat unit was still alive got Puck through the nights when all that could be heard was bombing in the distance.

"Last one for the session" Dr Benson informed them as he wheeled a young female officer through the post-op ward to a free bed. The conscious officer slid across to the bed before the doctor elevated her injured leg. After facing an attack of a Russian unit, the Major was transported to the hospital with shrapnel in her leg. It wasn't a discharge injury but she would be out of action for quite some time. "Corporal Puckerman can you please make sure Major Fabray's leg remains elevated no matter how much she tries to get up" he chuckled. Before Quinn could react to her old friend's dig at her, she recognised the name he had just spoken.

"Noah?"

"Quinn? You're alive?" Puck smiled and raced to her bedside "I was worried something had happened to you"

"I told you we'd write til we were in the same place at the same time" she chuckled and tried to sit up higher on the bed before Dr Benson shot her a sharp 'don't move' glare.

"You knew you'd get injured and end up in the hospital I was assigned to?" he chuckled and pulled her into a gentle hug. He couldn't believe he was finally seeing her again. Sitting down on the edge of her bed, he refused to let go of her hand "I'm so happy to see you Q"

"I missed you too Puck"

"So this is the girl?" Lt Colonel Truscott chuckled as he made his way over to Quinn's bed "Your love letter girl is Major Fabray? A Major..."

"She was only a Lieutenant when we met" Puck smiled

"Love letter girl?" she laughed "to the guys in my unit, you're 'Dear John'" she blushed. No matter how often she'd told them, the men and women in her unit were insistent on Puck's nickname. It was reinforced with every fortnightly letter received and every letter sent out every other week. Everyone knew when Puck's letters were arriving or being sent out just by the smile on Quinn's face. Never admitting it to herself but Puck's letters got her through the rough days just as much as Beth's drawings and photos.

"I should just leave you two to... catch up" Lt Colonel Truscott smiled and walked back to the desk. Peering over his shoulder, he couldn't help but smile at the young pair. Grasping each others' hands tight, they were both relieved to be sitting there in front of each other knowing they were alive to face another day.

"Were you really worried about me or worried you wouldn't get the chocolate I promised to send you?" Quinn chuckled as she squeezed Puck's hand gently.

"I forgot about that. Did you get Beth's care package before you got hurt?"

"No I missed it. Some guy up at postal is probably enjoying it now"

"Don't worry I'll make some calls, I'll find it" he assured her wanting to make sure she had her care package. It comforted the blonde to know that her Mom and daughter were thinking of her back home. Quinn hoped and prayed everyday that she could go home just to see them both. She was missing so much of Beth's life and that hurt Quinn more than any shrapnel injury.

"You just want the chocolate out of it" she laughed

"Maybe..."

"Of course"

"I just want to see you happy. You've seen the worst of this stupid war" Puck sighed and linked their fingers gently "You should go home for that leg"

"And leave you here? You go, I go. I told you I'd keep an eye on you remember?"

"Says combat girl sitting in a hospital bed because she got her leg all shot up. I should be the one keeping an eye on you" he laughed and peered down at her elevated leg covered in a sheet. Puck had learnt to have a strong stomach working in this hospital but he didn't want to see the damage that had been done to Quinn. He didn't want to think about the woman he cared so much, hurting

"Then these letters continue til we're home again. Once we're home..."

"Once we're home I'll always be there to take care of you and Beth. I love you Quinn"

Puck kissed Quinn's grazed hand before kissing her forehead gently. Once they were home he wasn't going to let anything hurt her or her beautiful daughter ever again. They were going to put their army lives behind them and start a new life as a family. Resting his forehead on hers he closed his eyes and took in everything about the beautiful blonde in front of him. He wanted to make sure he remembered the sparkle in her eyes and her incredible smile before they would have to part ways again. Puck worried that he may never see this beautiful woman again every time she left his sight. He couldn't bear to think that the woman he loved was in danger anymore. Seeing each other maybe twice in the past year, Quinn and Puck's relationship was based solely on their letters. Their love blossomed through the written word. He couldn't bear to think of a life without Quinn anymore but in this war, he never knew when it was their last day.

"Q?" Puck called softly as she started to close her eyes. When shaking her gently didn't work, he started to worry "Dr Benson could you come here please? Quinn wake up"

Dr Benson rushed to Quinn's bedside and checked her vital signs "She's running a fever" he assessed before pulling away the bandages on her leg. Dr Benson gasped softly as he saw the wounds on her leg infected and seeping with pus. "We have to get her back into surgery. It's Sepsis"

"What?" Puck asked quickly not understanding the medical language they all started to babble as they lifted Quinn onto a gurney and started to wheel her back into surgery. "Q?"

"Noah you have to stay here" Lt Colonel Truscott insisted as he held Puck back from following the gurney into the operating room. They both watched Dr Benson and Quinn disappear behind the white doors praying they would both return "They'll do everything they can to help her"

"No she can't..." he cried

"They will do their best Puck; you have to let them do their jobs"

"But I didn't..."

"You told her you love her. That's all she needs to know"

"She can't..."

Pacing back and forth for what felt like a lifetime, Puck looked from the clock to the doors to the operating room. They had been working on her for half an hour without any news. They say no news is good news but in this war no news could mean just about anything. Dr Benson walked out a few minutes later taking off his gloves and mask with a defeated expression.

Just the look on his face told Puck that he was never going to see Quinn again. The look on his face told Puck that he'd just lost the love of his life.

Collapsing against a nearby wall, the young man let all the pain he was feeling explode to the surface as violent sobs wracked his body. Truscott sat down beside Puck offering what little comfort he could because he too had just lost a dear friend.

Puck felt as if his already crumbling world had just been demolished, like there was nothing left for him to live for. Quinn was the one person that loved him and cared for him in a world that could only be described as a horrific nightmare with realistic blood.

Quinn was the girl he met on a plane. She was the beautiful young soldier going home to see her daughter after fighting for their country's freedom in Afghanistan. Quinn was now the woman who would never get to see her daughter grow up. She would be taken home in a casket and all Beth would have is the folded up American flag they gave all grieving families.

Quinn would never get to say goodbye to her daughter. She was gone and the world was a much worse place now that she was no longer present in it.

**Your thoughts?**


End file.
